Its a New Day

At long last, after making countless baby quilts, 2 big bed quilts, 1 bigger than lap size quilt, 1 90" x 90" quilt, 5 miniature quilts and counltess others, I finished a quilt for me! The original pattern was called 'Cracked Pots' (we joked that you'd have to be on crack and pot to do it). I made a few changes to the pattern - I added some solid borders around the courthouse steps (in the middle) and around the houses. I added piano keys to the top of the quilt (as it was wide enough but not quite long enough for my bed) and a solid border all the way around the quilt. It was a great challange and I'm very glad that it is finally done! Last week Tristan was playing after church and bonked his head and ended up with 5 stitches. Two days later I was over for dinner and helping give the kids a bath, when Rachel took off the bandaid. At first Tristan was crying (more from fear thinking it may hurt) but when Hannah started wailing "Don't hurt Tistan!!!...

Thanksgiving weekend certainly was a busy one for us. It started off with a garage sale on Saturday morning. Karen looks awake... I arrived at the house at 7:30 to get things set up and everyone was still sleeping - kids, parents - even mom and dad were still fast asleep in the trailer There was lots of stuff - sadly mostly mine (outside anyways). Lots and lots of chicken things. Sadly, the next day Hettie went around my home and counted all the 'things' that had chickens on them and there was still over 50! Time to do more decluttering! There were also lots of baby things. Karen sold one baby holder/play thing for $50 to some bikers who were camping out for the fair. The night before they had put the baby in an empty beer box so I guess they were willing to spend whatever to not have to do that again. Kimberly didn't have much for the garage sale but decided to do some baking. Derek bet her $1 that she wouldn't sell anything (to anyone except us sisters) so Karen use...

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and aksing God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the the Father who has quialified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkeness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he love in whome we have redemption the forgiveness of sins" Col 1:9-14 These verses were read to my last night and I was reminded that though I may not have freedom from or relief from my headaches, it is my prayer that I would be given the endurance to go through this trial, ...

Since it is the time that we reflect on what we're thankful for I thought I'd just write down a few things (not in any particular order): 1. Family - my parents, sisters, brothers in law, neices & nephews bring untold love and joy to my life. I love walking inot a room and having the little ones joyfully call out my name with a big squeeze and smooch to follow. 2. My church family - these are the people that I learn and grow with from week to week. I am held accountable, encouraged and prayed for by these dear saints. I have been made a part of their families and they are the ones that I want to learn to be more transparent and less superficial with. 3. My work - I have a job that has lasting and eternal value (something I was praying for before I started almost 10 years ago!). I have been stretched, poke, prodded and convicted in working with inmates, instructors and volunteers. There is great sorrow but also great joy in this work. I am also thankful for a job where...

A few weeks ago we were talking about being transparent with each other at Riverside. I've been thinking a bit more about this lately, trying to think of how to be that way. Being transparent doesn't mean that you have to share everything with everyone but that as a family it is important to be able to have that relationship that you COULD share everything with everyone. There are certain folks that I am closer with than others. Everyone has that, even Jesus was closer to Peter, James & John than he was to the other disciples. There were certain things that he shared only with these 3 men. But he did not share ONLY with those 3 men. In my own family I am closer to some sisters & brothers in law then others, but I will still share things with all of them. So how does this play out in the church? First I think we need to be more open with each other. Something that I have been realizing over and over is the importance of being specific. (Isn't that nice and vauge?) Do...